Earth-auger.



B. G.,-T. & W. P. WATKINS.

' EARTH AUGBR.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 3. 1912.

1,114,206. r 1 Patented 01:15.20, 1914.

Ewe/whom y hf Waii' kza, v

n45 NORRIS PETERS 60.. PHOTO-LITHQ. WASHINGTON. D. C.

UNrrnD STATESPATENT OFFICE.

BENJAMIN e. WATKINS, or NnHAwKA, NEBRASKA, AND 'rAYLo-R wA'rKINs ANDWALTER r..wATKINs, or ELIZABETHTOWN, KENTUCKY.,.,;

AR'ri-I-AUG'ER.

" Specification of Letters Patentl ;1 t 1jd 61 ,20 19 4 a lication filedAugust 3, 1 9 12. seri Nb. 713,159.

To all whom it-may concern: Be it known that we, BE JAMIN VAT- KINS, acitizen of the United States, and a resident of Nehawka, in the countyof Cass and State of Nebraska, and TAYLon NA r- KINS and WVALTER I.WVATKINs, citizens of.

the United States, and residents of Elizabethtown, in the countyof'Hardin and State of Kentucky, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in EartlrAugers, of

which the following is a specification, refer- 'ence' being-had to theaccompanying drawings.

an auger of this character having an improved construction andarrangement of dirt cutting bits whereby the Walls or sides of theholewill be cut back from the sides of the auger thereby forming a holeslightly larger than the diameter of the auger which will eliminateunnecessary friction and pre vent the accumulation of sticky soil on theouter side of the tool. 7

Another object is to provide an improved construction and arrangementofdirt lifting blades by means of which fine dirt or sandy soil mayreadily be removed-from the'hole. With these and'other objects in view,the invention consists of certain novel features of construction,combination and arrangement of parts as will be more fully describedandclaimed. a

part of this specification and in which like numerals of referenceindicate similar parts in the several views:Figure 1 shows a view partlyin section. Fig. 2 is a front view. Fig. 3 is a side view. Fig. his arear view thereof. Fig. 5, is a cross section! I will cut an openinglarger than the diameter of the auger body. Unnecessary friction willresult if this is not done.

This invention relates to certain new and In the accompanying drawingsforminga- In the preferred form of our auger, we use asemi-cylindrical;body l of more than180 degrees having the straightparallel rungered position as shown in Fig. l, the bit 5" ning edges 9.The bits 'are three,.co1nbeing the lowest, the opposite bit 5 comingneXt, and the intermediate bit 15, being the I highest. These bits arearranged in spaced re- 'lation as shown-1n Fig.6. 7 In addition to beingcupped, the edge bits 5 and 5 are'bowed outward beyond the surface oftheauger body 1, as will be understood in referring to Figs. 1 and 4:,sothat the hole will havea larger diameter than the auger body '1. "Asshown in Fig. 5, the, bits are pointed. Thebit 5 has the outward cuttingedge 7, while theopposite similar bit 5,has theinner cutting edge 7 Theedge 22, of the bit, 16, however, corresponds in curvature to thecutting edge a.

The bit 5 has the straight cutting: edge, 7 I

while the opposite edge is curved. In Fig. 1,

the bow of the outwardly dishededge bits 5 v and 5 is clearly indicated.A spanner head 3 has its two ends a secured to the auger body 1, whileits. boss 2 is arranged to receive the rod or pipe 3, towhich'theoperating handle 4: issecured. Thisbitican be success- I fully andexpeditiously employed in drilling holes, in clinging soilswithout'danger of the soil clinging to the body of the auger, therebycausing amnecessary friction. To-the upper end of the body 1 is secure ahandlesocket 2,-which is preferably thread-.

ed interiorly and forms part of the spanner head 2, the ends of whichare riveted or otherwise seeuredfto the' body as shown. Secured at itslowerend inthe socket 2, is a handle 8, on the upperendiof which isfarbe readily turned in forming thehole, On

and are turned to form a scoop shaped bot-' tom or lower end forthe'sa1ne;

One of the edges of the blad s 5 is turned outwardly to a slight extentand beveled to form a cutting edge 7, whereby the blades also serve asthe bits of the auger. projection of the beveled cutting edges of theThe ranged a cross bar 4:, whereby the auger may blades 5, 5, and 5"gradually increases from the lower ends of the blades toward their upperends and at said upper ends of the beveled edges of the blades whichadjoin the smaller blades, are circular notches 8 which facilitate theoutward bending or turning of the cutting edges.

By forming the cutting edges of the blades at their upper ends, as shownand described, a hole of slightly larger diameter than the body of theauger will be formed so that the sides of the latter when turned willnot engage the walls of the hole, thus eliminating all unnecessaryfriction and also preventingsoft sticky soil from adhering to andaccumulating on the sides of the tool. As shown the cutting, edge of thecentral blade 5 is straight and extends obliquely to the axis of thecylindrical body 1. The dished lifting blades 6, and 6, are positionedbetween the central and edge cutting bits. As shown two smaller lifting.

blades are located between the bits 5 and 5, while a single cutting bit6, is located between the cutting bits 5 and 5", these lifting bitsbeing of successively greater length.

By providing the smaller blades 6 between the larger blades the lowerend of the anger is closed to a sufficient extent to permit the scoopingup and removal of fine dry dirt and sandy soil which is diificult to re:move from the holes with the usual form auger.

The purpose and manner of using augers of this character is well knownand from t the foregolng descrlptlon taken in connection with theaccompanying drawings, the construction and operation of our improvedauger will be readily understood, without requiring a more extendedexplanation.

Various changes in the form, proportion and the minor details ofconstruction may be resorted to without departing from the what we claimis:

; principle or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention asclaimed.

Having thus describedour saidrinvention,

1. A post hole auger,"comprising a body of more than half a cylinderhaving a centrally positioned and two triangular edge cutting bitsarranged in spaced relation each bit being dished outward beyond thecircumference of said body, the cutting edge of said central bit beingstraight and ex tending obliquely to the axis of said body, a dishedlifting blade positioned between one of said edge bits and said centralcutting bit, and two smaller lifting blades between the remaining edgebit and central bit said lifting blades being of successively greaterlength, and a spanner head secured to the upper end of said body, as andfor the purpose set forth.

2. A post hole auger comprising a body of more than half the cylinderhaving a centrally positioned and two triangular edge cutting bitsarranged in spaced relation each bit being dished outward beyond thecircumference of said body, and a dished lifting blade positionedadjacent said central cutting bit upon both sides, as and for thepurpose set forth.

In testimony whereof, we afiiX our signatures in the presence ofwitnesses.

BENJAMIN G. WATKINS. TAYLOR WVATKINS. 4 WALTER P. WATKIN S.

\Vitnesses as to the signature of Benjamin G. WVatkins:

CHARLES H. DYsAR'r, L. R. UPTON. Witnesses as to the signatures ofTaylor Vatkins and Walter P. Watkins:

W. H. RoennrsoN, "HORACE HAYS.

Copies of this patent may be obtained forfive cents each by addressingthe Commissioner of latents,

' Washington, D. 0.

